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Space News (3/27): Congressional hearing on NASA’s $17.5 billion 2015 budget request Thursday includes a reminder from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden that underfunding for the Commercial Crew Program has delayed initiation of a new U.S. human launch capability by two years — 2017 at earliest, rather than 2015; U.S. human launches interrupted by 2011 space shuttle retirement.

Spacepolicyonline.com (3/28): In hearing before the U.S. House Space Subcommittee on Thursday, NASA Administrator links future of U.S. human spaceflight to fate of International Space Station and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program initiative to establish competing companies able to transport NASA astronauts to and from the space station. “Bolden argued that without ISS, medical research and technology development required before — sending humans into deep space would not be possible. If there is no ISS, he asserted, there is no need for SLS or Orion,” according to the report. NASA is developing the Space Launch System heavy lift rocket and Orion crew vehicle to start U.S. explorers on future missions of deep space exploration.

The Planetary Society (3/27): NASA’s year old Asteroid Redirect Mission concept faces broad bipartisan criticism from U.S. House Space Subcommittee, with legislators saying ARM has been slow to establish a specific destination, a timeline and budget. ARM components are an essential part of an eventual human Mars mission, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden informs the panel.

Huntsville Times (3/27): Composite fuel tank for NASA’s Space Launch System heavy lift rocket reaches NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center on Thursday. Developed by Boeing from lightweight materials, the tank was flown by NASA from the Seattle area to Alabama for testing. The tank design is for the upper stage of the SLS, a rocket designed to start U.S. astronauts on future missions of deep space exploration.

CNN (3/27): Near London, engineers with Airbus Defence and Space establish a Mars Yard to test rovers and other components associated with the European Space Agency’s upcoming Exo-Mars missions. A 2016 mission includes a lander and a 2018 flight features a Mars rover.

Spaceflightnow.com (3/27): Two days later than planned, Russian Soyuz crew transport capsule delivers three U.S. and Russian astronauts to the International Space Station. Docking occurs Thursday at 7:53 p.m., EDT.

Discovery.com (3/27): Soyuz crew members Alexander Skvortsov, Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronaut Steven Swanson reach International Space Station on Thursday at 7:53 p.m., EDT, two days later than planned because of missed post-launch rendezvous maneuver.

Aviation Week & Space Technology (3/26): Congress is proving difficult to convince when it comes to supporting NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Many recall the risks of space flight exposed with the loss of the shuttle orbiters Columbia and Challenger in 2003 and 1986, according to the report. Is commercial space flight safe?

Space News and the Spaceshow.com (3/27): SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell explains Falcon 9 pricing differences for commercial clients, the U.S. military and NASA. “It’s more expensive to do these missions,” she said of U.S. government launches compared to commercial missions. “The Air Force asks for more stuff. The missions we do for NASA under the [NASA Launch Services] contract are also more expensive because NASA asks to do more analysis.” The company’s prices range from $60 million for a commercial client and $10 million to $30 million more for U.S. military and NASA missions, according to the report.

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